On Wednesday, AstraZeneca Pharma India Ltd’s shares have fallen more than 13 per cent after its parent firm announced pausing COVID-19 vaccine trials globally due to an unexplained illness in a study participant. On the BSE, the Astrazeneca stock fell 13.40 per cent to Rs 3,650; and on the NSE, it tanked 12.31 per cent to Rs3,710.

The shares of AstraZeneca Pharma India Ltd were trading at Rs3,956.90 apiece, down 6.12 per cent, on the BSE; and at Rs3,945.90 apiece, 6.74 per cent lower, on the NSE. Tracking a deepening sell-off on global stock markets, the Indian shares also fell on Wednesday. The BSE Sensex index was trading at 38,161.37, down 0.53 per cent; and the Nifty 50 index, 0.56 per cent lower, at 11,254.50.

The British drugmaker is working to expedite the review of the single event to minimise any potential impact on the trial timeline.

AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine AZD1222 uses an adenovirus that carries a gene for one of the proteins in SARS-CoV-2, the virus which causes COVID-19. The adenovirus is designed to induce the immune system for a protective response against SARS-CoV-2.